​​U​nderstanding your options

Registration status comparison

	Practising	​Non-practising	Former registrant
2023-24 annual fee​	$867.42​	$109.80	$0
Am I registrant of BCCNM?	Yes	Yes	No
Can I practise in B.C.?	Yes	No	No
Can I provide second birth attendant (SBA) services?	Yes	Yes, if you are in good standing with the college and hold valid NRP and CPR certificates	No
Will I get communication from BCCNM?	Yes. You receive the registrant newsletter and any special bulletins.	Yes. You receive the registrant newsletter. Special bulletins as applicable​.	No
Can I still call myself a midwife?	Yes. You can use:  Registered midwife Midwife RM	No. However, you can use the follow titles depending on your qualifications: non-practising registered midwife Non-practising RM Non-practising midwife	No. You cannot use the title "midwife," "registered midwife," the abbreviation "RM," or any of the options in the non-practising category.
Can I be a member of a BCCNM committee?	Yes, if you are in good standing with the college (subject to specific committee composition requirements).	Yes, if you are in good standing with the college (subject to specific committee composition requirements).	No​ ​ ​

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​​​Leaving practice

​Convert to non-practising registration

Apply: Complete and submit the Application for Non-practising Midwife Registration​ to Registration Services at registermidwives@bccnm.ca​.

Pay fees: Pay the $115+GST​ application fee.

Notify Clients: Notify clients of change to non-practising registration.

Records

• All original retained records of clinical care are securely transferred to another registered midwife who is practicing midwifery in BC and retain documentation of the transfer.​
  
• When a shared care midwifery practice closes, all midwives who provided care to a client shall have access to the client's original records or a complete copy of the records.
• Inform BCCNM where the client records will be stored and how they can be accessed. If the midwife is leaving the community where the client's care was provided, and the midwifery practice remains in that community, consideration should be given to having the client's original records remain in the community where care was provided.

Cancel your registration and become a former registrant

Apply: Complete and submit the Application for Resignation of Registration to Registration Services at registermidwives@bccnm.ca​. 

Pay fee: Pay the $85+GST Cancellation fee.​

Notify Clients: Notify clients of your cancellation.

Records

• All original retained records of clinical care are securely transferred to another registered midwife who is practicing midwifery in BC and retain documentation of the transfer.​
  
• When a shared care midwifery practice closes, all midwives who provided care to a client shall have access to the client's original records or a complete copy of the records.
• Inform BCCNM where the client records will be stored and how they can be accessed. If the midwife is leaving the community where the client's care was provided, and the midwifery practice remains in that community, consideration should be given to having the client's original records remain in the community where care was provided.

Leaving practice due to disability/illne​ss

Check with your disability insurance company before you make changes to your status. Some disability carriers may require you to maintain practising or non-practising registration to receive benefits.​​​​​​

Returning to practice

If you are a former or non-practising BCCNM registrant, you must submit a reinstatement application to return to practice. BCCNM recommends submitting applications for registration a minimum of 4-6 weeks in advance of your anticipated registration date. If you believe your application may be considered complex, you may wish to submit your application earlier.

Important: Continuing competency requirements have changed

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certification requirements were temporarily changed to completion every three years for registration renewal in 2021 and 2022. Effective April 1, 2023, the continuing competencies requirement will return to the schedule listed in the Policy on Continuing Competencies​.  Visit the continuing competencies page for more information.

Temporary Emergency Registrants wishing to practice after Dec. 31

Temporary Emergency Registration (TER) ends Dec. 31, 2023.

• ​​​If you were a BCCNM reg​​istrant prior to holding TER, and you’d like to return to practising or non-practising registration, you will need to submit an Application for Reinstatement of Midwife Registration to registermidwives@bccnm.ca. 

• If you were not a BCCNM registrant prior to holding TER, and you’d like to hold practising or non-practising registration when TER ends, you will need to submit an Application for Midwife​ Registration to registermidwives@bccnm.ca
  

To avoid a potential gap in your authorization to practice, all TERs applying for practising registration must do so by Nov. 15, 2023. Please ensure you have all the required documents submitted with your application including proof of completion or certification in:

• ​Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR),
• Emergency Skills (ES),
  
• Fetal Health Surveillance (FHS), and
• Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP).
  
  

BCCNM will reimburse TERs for the cost of their application.

If you have any issues when submitting your application, please contact us immediately at registermidwives@bccnm.ca for assistance.

How to reinstate your registration

1. Prepare your docum​​​ents

To avoid delays in processing your application, prepare the following documents before you start your application:

• Notarized name change document or marriage certificate: If you have changed your name since you last held practising registration with us. Learn more about accepted forms of identification​
  

• Proof of completion of competency requirements​: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), emergency skills (ES), fetal health surveillance (FHS) and Neonatal resuscitation (NRP) if you are reinstating your practising registration. If it has been less than 60 days since you last held practising registration, you are not required to submit certificates, but you will be asked to attest to having valid competencies

• New registrant documentation: If you were subject to the Policy on New Registrant Requirements and did not complete the requires prior to leaving practice, you will need to submit an updated New Registrant Mentorship Agreement​. 

• Certificate of completion for Opioids and Benzodiazepines: Safe prescribing for Midwives course (if applicable)
  

• Letters of standing: A letter of standing and professional conduct/verification of registraton from any regulator with which you have held or currently hold registration. This must be received by BCCNM directly from the regulator. 
  

• Criminal record check: You will be asked to consent to a criminal record check​ if it has been more than 5 years since your last or if you are a former registrant. ​​

2. Compl​ete your application and pay fee

• Com​​​pl​​​ete Form 104 Application for Reinstatement of Midwife Registration​.

• If you are applying for reinstatement of practising midwife registration, you must also complete and submit Form 131 Quality Assurance Declaration of Currency and Competency​ with your application.​​
  

• Fees: You will pay a $265+GST reinstatement application fee when your application is submitted. Reinstatement fees are non-refundable, so ensure you are ready to proceed before you pay.

• The registration team will contact you if there are outstanding documents that BCCNM needs to proceed with your application.​

3. BCCNM review

BCCNM Registration Services will assess your application to determine whether you meet the requirements for reinstatement. The requirements for reinstatement include that you:

• Were in compliance with all Quality Assurance program requirements​ at the time you last held practising registration
• Meet the clinical experience requirement
• Have maintained your knowledge, skills and abilities as a midwife, or have successfully completed an exam or upgrading of your knowledge, skills or abilities
• Are of good character, including passing the criminal record check​ (if applicable)
  
• Are fit to practice, and
• Have paid any outstanding fines or fees
  

Note: If your registration was cancelled or suspended following an inquiry or discipline committee decision or you have a criminal charge since you last held practising registration you will be asked to provide additional information and evidence. Please contact the registration team for more information.

4. Registration Committee review/decision (if required)

Some applications are complex and require review and decision by the Registration Committee. Learn more about complex applications and Registration Committee review​.

5. Application approved/pay registration fees

If you meet the requirements for reinstatement, your application will be approved and you will be asked to pay your practising registration fees.

6. Professional liability insurance

Obtain professional liability insurance from the Midwives Association of BC if you are reinstating your practising registration. This must be in place for the date you are requesting reinstatement.

7. Wait for confirmation of registration from BCCNM

Once you have paid your registration fees, we will send you an email confirming that you have been granted practising registration. You must not practise as a midwife until you receive confirmation of registration.

Haven't received a confirmation email?
Registration will not be granted until your payment has been received. Before calling to check on the status of your application, please:

• Double-check that you submitted your application and that your payment went through
• Check your junk mail and spam folders​​​
  
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